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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-19 City Commission Packet Materials - C3. Application for Federal Assistance with the EPA for FY19Commission Memorandum REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and Commission FROM: David Fine, Urban Renewal Program Manager SUBJECT: Authorize the City Manager or her designee to sign the Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 for a FY19 EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant Proposal MEETING DATE: January 18, 2019 AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Consent RECOMMENDATION: The City Commission should authorize the City Manager or her designee to apply for the EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant BACKGROUND: The EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant program allows communities to apply for up to $300,000 to support site assessment and redevelopment planning activities in areas with significant brownfields. The Northeast Neighborhood, included significant industrial sites including the Idaho Pole Company (IPC) property, which is in the process of delisting a Superfund site. This significant site and the surrounding area can benefit from thoughtful planning and redevelopment efforts. The proposed grant application explains: With the help of an EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, Bozeman can leverage the huge effort expended on site cleanup to date via focused environmental assessment and planning efforts that aim to take advantage of the site’s wonderful opportunity to expand the local trail network, provide active and passive recreation opportunities for Bozeman residents, open access to a new wetlands preserve, and still provide room for expanding or transitioning industrial uses in designated areas… Bozeman will also use EPA grant funding to conduct area-wide planning activities targeted at integrating brownfield reuse efforts with the community’s vision for the Northeast Neighborhood. These area-wide efforts will enable the development of a community-led revitalization strategy that 11 facilitates brownfield cleanup and reuse and addresses broader economic and environmental barriers that hinder redevelopment in the area… Future brownfield development projects will allow for the creation of jobs and a stronger tax base for the City while promoting infill development and sustainable growth through appropriate planning and land use. Bozeman will also embrace sustainable practices as well as excellence in urban design. To maximize the momentum gained under site assessment tasks, the City will provide easy-to-use, accurate, and informative tracking of land-use and infrastructure development trends in the area and project-specific progress for use to inform strategic infrastructure investments. The attached draft grant application is provided for further detail. UNRESOLVED ISSUES: The proposed task descriptions, cost estimates, and progress measures are based on our grant consultant, Ayres Associates’, extensive experience with this grant program. In the event the City receives a grant award, these proposals can be modified through the submission of the formal grant work plan and approved by EPA prior commencing work on the grant-funded activity. If the City is awarded this grant, we will need to contract for significant professional services to support the grant work plan. This process will require a competitive request for qualifications as required by the grant program. FISCAL EFFECTS: This application for $300,000 in grant funding does not require a cash or in kind match. However, the work plan will require significant staff time, support and engagement from several city departments. It is our intent to use grant funds to support costs administering the grant. The planning efforts may also propose in infrastructure and other projects that would require City funds or staff time to complete. ATTACHMENTS: Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 FY19 EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant Proposal LINKS: Environmental Protection Agency FY19 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants 12 13 14 15 DRAFT FY19 EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant Proposal City of Bozeman, Montana Prepared for: City of Bozeman 411 East Main Street Bozeman, Montana 59715-4700 16 Attachment A Narrative Information Sheet 17 1 1. Applicant Identification: The applicant for the EPA Brownfields Community-Wide Assessment Grant is th City of Bozeman, located at 411 E. Main Street, Bozeman, Montana 59715-4700. 2. Funding Requested a. Assessment Grant Type: Community-wide FY19 Brownfields Assessment Grant b. Federal Funds Requested: $300,000 c. Contamination: Hazardous Substances ($200,000) and Petroleum ($100,000) 3. Location: City of Bozeman, Montana 4. Contacts a. Project Director: David Fine, 406.582.2973, DFine@Bozeman.net, 121 North Rouse Avenue, P.O. Box 1230, Bozeman, MT 59771 b. Chief Executive/Highest Ranking Elected Official: Cyndy Andrus, 406.582.2383, CAndrus@Bozeman.net, 121 North Rouse Avenue, P.O. Box 1230, Bozeman, MT 59771 5. Population: 43,132 (2017 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) Estimate) 6. Other Factors Checklist Community population is 10,000 or less. The applicant is, or will assist, a federally recognized Indian tribe or United States territory. The priority brownfield site(s) is impacted by mine-scarred land. The priority site(s) is adjacent to a body of water (i.e., the border of the priority site(s) is contiguous or partially contiguous to the body of water or would be contiguous or partially contiguous with a body of water but for a street, road, or other public thoroughfare separating them). X The priority site(s) is in a federally designated flood plain. X The redevelopment of the priority site(s) will facilitate renewable energy from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; or any energy efficiency improvement projects. 30% or more of the overall project budget will be spent on eligible reuse planning activities for priority brownfield site(s) within the target area. 7. Letter from the State Environmental Authority: See attached. X DRAFT 18 Attachment B Montana DEQ Acknowledgement Letter 19 DRAFT 20 Attachment C Threshold Criteria 21 Threshold Criteria for Assessment Grants 1. Applicant Eligibility The applicant for this combined EPA Community-Wide Hazardous Substance and Petroleum Brownfields Assessment Grant is the City of Bozeman, Montana. The City of Bozeman fulfills the definition of an “eligible entity” by being a General-Purpose Unit of Local Government as defined under 2 CFR § 200.64. The City of Bozeman is a recognized political subdivision as defined by the State’s legislative definition of a political subdivision per 40 CFR stats. 35.6016 (a) (31). 2. Community Involvement The City of Bozeman doesn’t just solve our brownfield issues through individual organizations, we solve them collectively as a community. The City needs to be sure that its leaders—including elected leaders, business executives, non-profit managers, and active citizens of all stripes—get behind this initiative to see that its strategic goals are accomplished. Anticipated community outreach strategies include walking tours, community forums, public assemblies, and open houses. Additionally, a stakeholders group of key business owners, educators, citizens and officials may be formed and periodically convene to advise on planning, cleanup, and reuse phases, and to collaborate with our consultants for the drafting of alternative project visions and imagery for consideration by the public. The City will actively seek to identify concerns that residents have and respond to these in a quick and constructive manner. This will be done through frequent surveys and polling both paper and electronically, door-to-door outreach, and a close monitoring of our social media channels. Evident from recent outreach efforts in the target area, this community is expressly concerned about how to develop and maintain its overall affordability and accessibility to a mix of residents and workers, and a unique sense of place and community as it grows and evolves. Residents echo “this area historically has been the affordable part of Bozeman – where families get started, and people grow old.” Our City has taken these sentiments to heart during preliminary project planning and area-visualization efforts and will continue to seek and incorporate the same type of honest and useful information from our residents throughout this Brownfield Initiative. Bozeman residents will be kept further involved and informed throughout the project through public meetings, project updates posted on the City website, flyers, newsletters, social media platforms, and other publications, to reach all residents and partners. Particular attention will be paid to connecting with our low-income and impoverished populations – by implementing low-tech tactics, we will more effectively reach our target residents: notices may be posted at the public library, city hall, churches, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and elsewhere. Bozeman’s goals through these approaches include gathering community input and specific needs, exchanging relevant information regarding the location and current status of our brownfields, soliciting assistance with site prioritization, brainstorming necessary and effective action steps, and engaging the entire community’s network of business contacts and lenders. The City will continue to gather input as appropriate from private and public entities, welcoming comments and ideas, including from Montana State University and Gallatin College students eager to make a concrete contribution to a community they call home. Sites with redevelopment potential will be marketed to business contacts and lenders through online inventories. 3. Expenditure of Assessment Grant Funds The City of Bozeman (applicant) does not have an active EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant. DRAFT 22 Attachment D Responses to Ranking Criteria (Grant Narrative) 23 1 Narrative/Ranking Criteria PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION AND PLANS FOR REVITALIZATION Target Area and Brownfields Background and Description of Target Area - Named after John M. Bozeman, the County Seat of Gallatin County, Bozeman, Montana, was founded in 1854 and incorporated in 1883. Early in its history (circa 1893), Bozeman was awarded the State’s agricultural college, now recognized as Montana State University, which expanded a mercantile and farming community into a center for higher learning. With the passage of time, this City in the Gallatin Valley enjoyed the economic benefits of the growing popularity of Yellowstone National Park and the increasing interest in its plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities and has been evolving into one of the most vibrant communities in the Northwestern United States. The showcasing of spectacular scenery and the western way of life the area received from films set nearby, such as A River Runs Through It and The Horse Whisperer, have also served to draw people to the area. Its agrarian heritage, outstanding schools, rich culture, beautiful natural surroundings, emerging industries, and overall attractiveness have all played important roles in Bozeman’s evolution, which has kept the City’s economy and the health of its Downtown core relatively strong for a small city: the heart and soul of the community is manifest in Bozeman’s historic Downtown fabric. However, this strength and vivacity has not extended into the growing edges of the City, such as Census Tract 6, located on the northeastern edge of Bozeman along Interstate 90 (I-90), or Census Tract 11.02, located on the southwestern edge of Bozeman, which was recently named one of twenty-five Opportunity Zones, identified by economic distress, in Montana under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Census Tract 6 is roughly bounded by East Baxter Lane and West Griffin Drive to the north, North 19th Avenue to the west, Durston Road/West Peach Street to the south, and the East Gallatin River to the east, and will be the targeted area of this grant and herein after referred to as the “Northeast Neighborhood.” As only a portion of the City of Bozeman lies within the Census Tract 11.02 Opportunity Zone, this area, herein after referred to as the “Southwest Neighborhood,” will be a secondary target of our Brownfield Revitalization Initiative. Opportunity Zones were conceived as an innovative approach to spurring long-term private sector investments in low- income communities nationwide and will be used as such for the City of Bozeman. By targeting these neighborhoods, Bozeman hopes to address the uneven recovery and growth of the areas that has left too many American communities behind. While Bozeman’s Downtown, the core of which is located less than half a mile from the target area, has remained economically viable and provides Bozeman with an extremely important sense of community, history, and identity, the Northeast Neighborhood is in quite a different state. Although it represented Bozeman’s historic role as the transportation and economic hub of Southwestern Montana from 1882 to 1945, this area currently has a poverty rate in excess of 20%, compared to a 14.9% rate in the state, deflated mean ($40,417) and median ($30,682) household incomes compared to the City, State, County, and Nation, a significantly higher and growing population of seniors and Hispanic/Latino residents than the City average, a large portion of residents without health insurance (19.1%), and higher rates for cash public assistance income (4.5%) and SNAP participation (15.5%) than the City as a whole (1.6%, 5.1%, respectively). Further impacting the target area and its sensitive impoverished, low-income, and elderly populations, the Northeast Neighborhood is occupied by many commercial and industrial zones with the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances and petroleum contaminants: this area was historically one of the only industrial areas in the Gallatin Valley. The target area’s industrial history includes the Cannery District, where the Bozeman Canning Company operated in the early 20th Century, at which time Bozeman produced approximately 75% of all seed peas in the United States, the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) and Story Mill District, which includes historic railroad property (Northern Pacific Main Line, Northern Pacific Rail Yard, Story Mill Spur Line, and several associated buildings, structures, and sites), and the 60-acre Idaho Pole site, which treated wood products with creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP) between 1945 and 1997. Due to impacts stemming from historic land DRAFT 24 2 use and blighted/vacant properties, redevelopment of key areas in the target area, like the Idaho Pole site, is complicated. These idle brownfields remove significant parcels of land from productive use, discourage nearby development, and present health risks to nearby Bozeman residents, many of whom are unable to secure affordable housing elsewhere in the City. With massive growth pressures throughout Bozeman, we cannot afford to leave our brownfields vacant and blighted, unavailable to absorb some of the weight. The first proactive step to bringing these sites into use to support our vision of a safe, accommodating, and cohesive City is to assess the environmental issues associated with the target area’s Brownfields. Bozeman proposes to use EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant funding to begin the process of characterizing, outlining development concepts and integration ideas for, and redeveloping vacant, contaminated, and blighted portions of the target area(s), thus weaving the Northeast Neighborhood into the City’s vivacious Downtown fabric and facilitating its transition into a vibrant, safe, mixed-use neighborhood. Description of the Priority Brownfield Site(s) - Commercial and industrial corridors within the boundaries of the Northeast Neighborhood include numerous brownfield sites, many of which date back to the early 20th Century. The target area, although one of the most affordable in Bozeman, is sandwiched between our Downtown edge industrial and northern Bozeman’s heavy industrial areas, and houses much of the City’s historic railroad property, impacting the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Stifled by economic, physical, and psychological barriers, there is no community appetite for the environmental risks associated with brownfields within the target area. Our goal is for people to want to visit, live, and work here: resolving environmental concerns and implementing visioning and planning efforts in line with Bozeman’s recently adopted Strategic Plan are critical steps to encouraging any investment in the Northeast Neighborhood. While other brownfields in the target area(s) will be identified and evaluated under this grant, the City’s priority brownfield site is the Idaho Pole Company (IPC) property. The Idaho Pole Company site, a former wood treating facility, occupies an area of approximately 60 acres and is bisected by Interstate 90 (I-90). The East Gallatin River and associated floodway run through the northern section of the IPC site, and form the eastern boundary of Census Tract 6. A creek and its associated floodway also run through the southern section of the IPC site. Wood treating operations began at the IPC property in 1945 using creosote, which was replaced with pentachlorophenol (PCP) in carrier oil in 1952. The wood treating operation and infrastructure was historically located south of I-90; though soil and groundwater were impacted on both sides of I-90 as groundwater flow is to the north. Former wood treating operations were dismantled in 1999. The Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (MDHES) discovered an oily discharge in ditches near the Site and near Rocky Creek in 1978. The Site was placed on the National Priority List in 1986, and a record of decision (ROD) was finalized in 1992 (MDHES, 1992). Pentachlorophenol (PCP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (dioxins/furans) were identified as contaminants of concern and soil and groundwater contamination were identified as a single response action. The ROD includes remedy components for both soil and groundwater. The soil component included excavation and land treatment of 19,000 cubic yards of soil, which commenced in 1995 and culminated with dismantling of the land treatment units and on-site treated soil placement in 2002. The soil component of the site will be delisted from the National Priorities List (NPL) in March 2019. The groundwater component or Groundwater Remedy System (GRS) consisted of groundwater pump and treat (via granulated activated carbon) with return of treated water to the aquifer to provide hydraulic control of contaminant migration. The treated water was also enriched with nutrients by adding a bulk fertilizer mix of nitrogen and phosphorous downstream of the GAC units to enhance in-situ biological degradation by providing a nutrient source for microbe. The GRS has been operating since 1997 and was scheduled for decommissioning in 2018. The EPA indicated delisting of the groundwater component of the site from the NPL is likely not far behind that of the soils component. Although significant federal funds and associated efforts have been expended DRAFT 25 3 on the assessment and cleanup at the IPC Superfund site, this large area in a prime opportunity location remains vacant with no developer interest or clear vision for redevelopment. While the site will soon be delisted from the NPL, IPC remains on Bozeman’s priority list: residual environmental issues and a notable lack of utility and roadway infrastructure to the site ensure the site will remain our City’s heaviest brownfield burden without further action. With the help of an EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, Bozeman can leverage the huge effort expended to date via focused environmental assessment and planning efforts that aim to take advantage of the site’s wonderful opportunity to expand the local trail network, provide active and passive recreation opportunities for Bozeman residents, open access to a new wetlands preserve, and still provide room for expanding or transitioning industrial uses in designated areas. Additional sections of the targeted communities consist of abandoned/blighted properties and commercial and industrial sites which the City wishes to redevelop. Little environmental testing, outside the IPC site, has been done in this area, but the assorted commercial and industrial sites have the potential to cause serious adverse health effects as numerous potentially contaminated sites exist. These properties also pose a public safety concern due to debris, uneven footing, and associated trespassing issues. Brownfields located throughout the targeted community include railroad property and fuel warehouses and storage facilities, which represent possible sources of petroleum and hazardous substance contamination. A more complete list of Hazardous and Petroleum properties will be compiled as part of the Brownfield project initiative. Revitalization of the Target Area Redevelopment Strategy and Alignment with Revitalization Plans - We strive to consistently improve our community's quality of life as it grows and changes, honoring our sense of place and the "Bozeman feel" as we plan for a livable, safe, affordable, more connected city. Our City continues to develop an in-depth understanding of how Bozeman is growing and changing and proactively address change in a balanced and coordinated manner. To support our Strategic Plan, Bozeman plans to use EPA funding to develop both a Hazardous and Petroleum inventory of brownfield sites in the target areas. The City of Bozeman supports high- quality planning, ranging from building design to neighborhood layouts, while pursuing urban approaches to issues such as multimodal transportation, infill, density, connected trails and parks, and walkable neighborhoods. Through the identification of Hazardous and Petroleum Brownfields in our City, we can more efficiently and effectively focus high-quality planning and subsequently implement strategic redevelopment. This inventory will help the City prioritize the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of these sites and will accelerate their reuse by providing accessible information to interested developers. The City will consolidate this information in electronic format and create summary sheets that highlight the most pertinent information about each site that can be distributed to interested developers. EPA funds will be used to conduct approximately 7 Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) on Hazardous sites and another 4 Phase I ESAs on Petroleum sites. Phase II ESAs will be performed on approximately 3 Hazardous sites and one Petroleum site, which will be identified through the brownfield inventory and community involvement efforts. For each Phase II ESA conducted, quality assurance project plans (QAPPs), site-specific sampling and analysis plans (SAPs), and remedial action plans (RAPs) will be developed. EPA will be consulted before any work is conducted on sites that may have historical or cultural significance, such as those within the Northern Pacific – Story Mill Historic District. In addition, remediation and reuse plans will be created for each site that undergoes a Phase II ESA, to be aligned with the City’s vision under its Strategic Plan. Bozeman will also use EPA grant funding to conduct area-wide planning activities targeted at integrating brownfield reuse efforts with the community’s vision for the Northeast Neighborhood. These area-wide DRAFT 26 4 efforts will enable the development of a community-led revitalization strategy that facilitates brownfield cleanup and reuse and addresses broader economic and environmental barriers that hinder redevelopment in the area. For example, the City aims to link this underserved edge of the City to our Downtown core by exploring pedestrian and transit opportunities and the opportunity for multi-modal transportation. We will also look to improve parking and safety measures and address public facilities and density efficiency in the target area. We will work to explore the development and expansion of businesses, quality housing, and public spaces, and the infrastructure to support these in order to provide employment opportunities, affordable and accessible livability, and localized social and recreation options to the area’s sensitive populations. Planning and associated community outreach efforts will be utilized to better define the “essence” or ambiance of the Northeast Neighborhood within the larger Bozeman character, while working around and preserving current structures (train tracks, old depot building, etc.). Future brownfield development projects will allow for the creation of jobs and a stronger tax base for the City while promoting infill development and sustainable growth through appropriate planning and land use. Bozeman will also embrace sustainable practices as well as excellence in urban design. To maximize the momentum gained under site assessment tasks, the City will provide easy-to-use, accurate, and informative tracking of land- use and infrastructure development trends in the area and project-specific progress for use to inform strategic infrastructure investments. Outcomes and Benefits of Redevelopment Strategy - Through site assessment and planning efforts, and eventually complete redevelopment of strategic sites, Bozeman’s Brownfield Revitalization Initiative hopes to redefine the target areas as family-, pedestrian- and business-friendly, with anticipated amenities to serve residents and patrons. We will be managing target area redevelopment with focused public access, quality housing, walkability, tax base increases, job creation, and green space and trails network creation along nearby creeks and the East Gallatin River, which defines the eastern edge of the target area. Further assessment and planning efforts at the IPC site and other brownfields along our surface water resources will directly encourage their utilization and protection. To encourage environmental sustainability, Bozeman will work with partner organizations to identify at-risk, environmentally sensitive parcels that contribute to water quality, wildlife corridors, and wildlife habitat. In addition to job, quality and affordable housing, green space, and recreation creation, the redevelopment of the IPC site and others identified during this project will facilitate energy efficiency through improving mobility options that accommodate all travel modes within the target area, including enhanced non-motorized transportation. During the planning stages of the project, the City will revisit greenhouse gas emissions inventories, review reduction targets, and explore a voluntary energy efficiency program to encourage new residential and commercial construction to exceed the performance standards of the currently adopted building energy code. Additionally, the City will review three-year data from NorthWestern Energy's Community Solar Installation to inform planning efforts under the Brownfield Initiative. Strategy for Leveraging Resources Resources Needed for Site Reuse - To support environmental assessment, remediation, and brownfield redevelopment under the Northeast Neighborhood Initiative, the City has assembled as list of potential leveraged funds including local, state, and federal options. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is one of the few economic development tools available to local municipalities and TIFs provide needed gap financing and offset public improvements on a performance basis within the district rather than burdening the general fund. Bozeman may create a TIF district in the target area to adopt and champion the existing goals and implementation actions from the Brownfield Initiative. We will align TIF infrastructure projects with brownfield strategy to ensure tactical allocation of funds for catalytic infrastructure. State-wide, we will work with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) and their Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program to fund transportation DRAFT 27 5 enhancements within the Northeast Neighborhood, such as improved access road to underserved sites, and recreational trails. Transportation improvements will further encourage the reuse and redevelopment of our brownfields by providing easy access and local connectivity. The City of Bozeman will additionally engage BNSF Railway for projects such as pedestrian underpass or trail connections to encourage additional circulation and public safety in the target area. We will also partner with City Economic Development staff to develop a trade sector recruitment strategy to identify and conduct outreach to suitable businesses to infill targeted brownfield sites. Bozeman will also utilize Montana’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to assist in funding desperately needed decent affordable housing development on our now vacant and blighted brownfields. CDBG provides funding and technical assistance to help local governments, like Bozeman, plan for future growth and development, develop specific plans for individual projects, and take action to address community needs: this program is in direct correlation with the goals of Bozeman’s Brownfield Initiative. The Bozeman Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) will also be strategically utilized to provide capital to local Bozeman companies interested in developing and/or occupying brownfield sites ready for use. The RLF aims to further economic expansion within the City and the creation of quality jobs, two identified goals of this project. Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) may also be implemented within the target area to provide supplemental funding in support of brownfield revitalization. SIDs can be used for irrigation or other water, municipal swimming pools and other recreation facilities, street improvements, sidewalks, crosswalks, culverts, bridges, gutters, curbs, steps, parking, sanitary or storm sewers, water, public facilities, opening of streets, avenues, and alleys and the planting of trees on the streets, avenues, and alleys, natural gas and electric distribution lines and telecommunications facilities, public park or open-spaces, conversion of overhead utilities to underground alternative energy and maintain, preserve, and care for any authorized improvements. Federally, the Low Income Federal Tax Credit Program is available for use in support of this Brownfield initiative. The program is a federal income tax credit for owners of qualifying rental housing which meets certain low-income occupancy and rent limitation requirements. The credit is taken as a reduction in participant’s tax liability over a 10-year period and can also be sold to investors to act as a financing source. Given the significant impoverished and low-income population within the Northeast Neighborhood, and the identified goal of the Brownfield Initiative to provide quality, affordable housing in the area, this program fits seamlessly into the project’s vision. Through these variety of potential funding sources combined with an EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, Bozeman can begin to build the capacity, resiliency, and resource base necessary to develop the Northeast Neighborhood as a strong, safe, pulsating district that fits seamlessly into the larger City of Bozeman. Use of Existing Infrastructure – Bozeman is committed to sustainability and embraces the concept that strong connections between transportation, housing, the environment, and economic development will create a healthy and more livable City. We cultivate a strong environmental ethic and promote environmentally sustainable businesses and lifestyles. Therefore, Bozeman aims to utilize existing infrastructure where practical. However, to fully realize the potential of the target area, additional roadway, utility, and other infrastructure needs are apparent: the unavailability of utility and roadway infrastructure at sites within the Northeast Neighborhood, like the IPC site, has actively excluded them from developer interest. As part of the Brownfield Initiative, Bozeman will identify sites for new or redevelopment in areas that lack adequate infrastructure and develop new financing strategies to fund these investments. We will strategically invest in infrastructure as a mechanism to encourage economic development. The project team will also evaluate ancillary funding opportunities to facilitate infrastructure improvements on targeted sites. Potential funding opportunities include TIF, SIDs, and Department of Commerce CDBG funding. As outlined in our Strategic Plan, the City intends to complete infrastructure planning exercises to prioritize long- term investment and maintenance for new and existing infrastructure in Bozeman. We will explore technologies to advance environmental sustainability, such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure, performance management systems also known as community “dashboards,” indoor and outdoor lighting controls, Electric Vehicle (EV) DRAFT 28 6 charging infrastructure, and data analytics. We will also investigate the development of new annexation policies to address long term tax fairness for public services and locations of infrastructure. COMMUNITY NEED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Community Need The Community’s Need for Funding - Bozeman’s Brownfield Initiative target areas have a high population of impoverished and minority residents, many of whom are settled around abandoned buildings, blighted properties, and defunct commercial or industrial sites. The targeted Northeast Neighborhood performs significantly below the national and state averages on several economic indicators: greater than 20% poverty rates, compared to a 14.9% rate in the state, a significantly higher and growing proportion of seniors (median age of 34 in Census Tract 6 vs. 27.9 in the City), Hispanic/Latino (10.3% in Census Tract 6 vs. 3% City-wide), and institutionalized (2.7% in Census Tract 6 vs. 0.5% City-wide) residents than the City average, a higher number of female (26.4% in Census Tract 6 vs. 11.2% City-wide) and Hispanic/Latino (16.9% in Census Tract 6 vs. 6.2% City-Wide) veterans compared to the City and State, and over 38% of single female households living below the poverty line. With a poverty rate in the Census Tract 6 target area over 20% (nearly 7 percentage points above that of Gallatin County) and median and mean household incomes in Census Tract 6 well below the City, State, and National averages, our community is simply unable to put resources behind what we consider essential, like brownfield assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment. Redevelopment of the Northeast Neighborhood has the potential to raise adjacent property values, offer amenities and services to in-need populations, and provide connectivity of this underserved area to our Downtown core. Barriers to redevelopment in this area include the environmental condition, contamination, and blight that reinforce a negative perception of our overall target area. Some property owners have stopped caring for their properties, leaving them to become overgrown, run down, and unattractive. Owners of some of the vacant and abandoned sites are interested in selling or improving the land, but do not understand the environmental regulations associated with redevelopment and are fearful of fees or fines or are turned off by the lack of available infrastructure at and near the sites. By providing incentive to perform the necessary assessment that will catalyze redevelopment in this area, in the form of Phase I and II ESAs and strategic planning efforts, an EPA Brownfields Assessment grant will help meet the needs of a community that has an inability to draw on other sources of funding. Threats to Sensitive Populations: Health or Welfare of Sensitive Populations - Contamination at old commercial and industrial sites and blighted properties poses a threat to the health of Bozeman residents by direct contact or inhalation of hazardous substances or petroleum. These contaminants can increase cancer risk and cause organ damage, especially to sensitive populations in the target area including our impoverished, Hispanic/Latino, elderly, low-income, disabled, and single-female householders. Discarded demolition debris and potential soil contamination also poses a significant public safety concern to nearby residents or visitors, especially given the relative location of recreational opportunities, such as the East Gallatin River, to our brownfields. To harshen the health and welfare effects of brownfields on the Northeast Neighborhood, a large portion of residents living in Census Tract 6 are without health insurance (19.1% in Census Tract 6 vs. 8.8% City-wide) and/or impoverished (20.1%), and therefore potentially without the means to seek health care. A significant portion of residents living in or in near proximity to the target area are impoverished and/or disabled. The presence of brownfield properties contributes to the lack of safe, stable, and affordable housing for many residents who in turn live at or below the poverty line. This leads to homelessness, constant mobility, stressed family life, unemployment, low educational achievement, poor health behaviors, and lack of health care access. Our Census Tract 6 area clearly has perilous and declining economic DRAFT 29 7 conditions: the problem only intensifies when social problems are considered. Development of the Northeast Neighborhood is a key aspect of Bozeman’s plan to revitalize and better capitalize on our remaining underdeveloped land assets, raise property and assessment values, elevate our taxable base, and provide clean and affordable land for our residents and local business base onto which they can expand as the economy recovers. As previously described, there is a mix of brownfields sites and contaminants including petroleum and hazardous substances in the Northeast Neighborhood along and nearby the East Gallatin River. The target area houses significant populations of residents most sensitive to brownfields impacts – children, women of child-bearing age, minorities, seniors, and lower income residents. Particularly at risk are children at play on the ground and near water through frequent hand-to-mouth contact, who are in critical stages of development. Residents also may be exposed to contaminants in the soil, air, surface water, or through consuming East Gallatin River fish. The prevalence of brownfields, like the IPC site, railroad property, and agricultural production sites, creates an unwelcoming environment that reduces street life and vitality, discourages walking, and reduces opportunities for development of valuable local amenities. Greater Than Normal Incidence of Disease and Adverse Health Conditions - According to a 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment Report prepared for Gallatin, Madison, and Park Counties by Professional Research Consultants, Inc., 24.5% of Bozeman residents are limited in activities in some way due to a physical, mental, or emotion al problem, compared to 23.9% of Montana residents and 20% of the US population. Mental health ranked as a top concern in Gallatin County in an online key informant survey: 23.1% of Bozeman residents have been diagnosed with a depressive order, versus 19.9% in Montana and 17.9% nation-wide. Additionally, 5.3% of County residents were unable to get mental health services in the past year versus 4.5% of the US population. There are very limited resources in Bozeman to handle those in mental health crisis, especially for in-patient care and for those with chronic mental health conditions. Substance abuse is also of greater than normal incidence in our City. 27.4% of Bozeman residents are reported excessive drinkers, versus 26% of Gallatin County and 22.2% of the US population. There also are very few substance abuse/rehab/treatment programs in the area, and substance abuse and mental health go hand in hand. The presence of brownfield properties contributes to the lack of safe, stable, and affordable housing for many residents and leads to homelessness, constant mobility, stressed family life, and unemployment: individually and collectively, these conditions may have serious mental health and substance abuse implications. By undertaking the Northeast Neighborhood Brownfield Initiative with the help of an EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, Bozeman can not only assess and plan the redevelopment of brownfield properties, which once back in use can offer quality and reasonably-priced housing to help residents feel safe and steady but can also offer new commercial space to potentially house additional treatment facilities. Brownfields located in the Northeast Neighborhood, and others located across Bozeman and Gallatin County pose numerous health concerns to residents, many linked to air-related toxins so prevalent on unpaved contaminated brownfield sites. Since these unpaved and contaminated sites are usually in more populated areas, they are in close proximity to residences, schools, libraries, and parks that negatively impact sensitive populations like children, low-income residents, or the elderly by exposing them to contaminants by direct contact, ingestion, airborne particulate inhalation, and vapor intrusion pathways. The 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment Report indicates: a prostate cancer rate 133.6 per 100,000 residents in Gallatin County, compared to 127.3 in Montana and 123.4 in the US; a pre-diabetes rates in Gallatin County 6.6, versus 1.5 in Montana; and a high prevalence of adult asthma and Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRP). CLRP is a preventable and treatable disease characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung to noxious particles or gases, such as those stemming from brownfield sites. Adult asthma is reported in 11.3% of Bozeman residents, versus 10.9% in Gallatin County, 8.9% in Montana, and 9.5% nation-wide. The burden of respiratory diseases affects individuals and their families, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities, and DRAFT 30 8 states. Because of the cost to the healthcare system, the burden of respiratory diseases also falls on society; it is paid for with higher health insurance rates, lost productivity, and tax dollars. Additionally, Gallatin County reports a rate of 125.1 for diseases of the heart, vs. 107.4 in Madison County and 117.4 in Park County, each adjacent to Gallatin County. It is no coincidence that many of these health issues correlate with low income. Given the high prevalence of poverty in the Northeast Neighborhood, low median and mean household incomes, and large percentage of residents without health insurance, our low-income residents are adversely impacted by proper diet and health and by industrial practices and brownfield sites. The fact that there are greater percentages of sensitive populations residing in the target area indicates that there is a likely correlation between income, age, and health impacts from contaminated properties. Therefore, by actively addressing our City’s brownfields, Bozeman hopes to actively address their associated health impacts. Economically Impoverished/Disproportionately Impacted Populations - As evidenced by demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 Census and 2016 American Community Survey, the Northeast Neighborhood is not financially influential. The target area’s poverty rate is 20.1% (13.5% State-wide), over 19% are without health insurance coverage (10.2% State-wide), and 15.5% are using Food Stamp/SNAP benefits (5.5% State-wide). Meanwhile, the median household income ($30,682) is over 46% lower than the median household income of Gallatin County ($57,021) and over 36% lower than the State-wide value ($48,380). Moreover, the Census Tract 6 area has a disproportionate and growing percent of Hispanic/Latino residents (10.3% versus 3% City-wide and 3.1% County-wide). The Hispanic/Latino population jumped in Tract 6 from 2010 to 2016, while almost not at all city-wide; almost 300% over a 6-year period (94 people at 3.9% of population in 2010 versus 272 people at 10.3% population in 2016). This influx also accounts for a large portion of the population growth in the Northeast Neighborhood during this time: 231 new residents, 178 of which are Hispanic/Latino. These underserved populations disproportionately share the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and/or commercial operations or policies. By pursuing EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant funding and implementing a Brownfield Initiative focused on the target area, Bozeman hopes to address and facilitate the identification and reduction of these threats. This project will help to catalyze new employment (permanent, remediation, and construction), property investment, and value leading to annual increased local property taxes and new affordable housing in one of our most transit-supported corridors. Most importantly, these strategic investments will help spark additional private-sector investment building from the momentum our initiative is creating. We will be managing brownfield redevelopment in the target area with focused public access, quality and affordable housing, walkability, tax base increases, job creation, and green space and trails network creation along the East Gallatin River and nearby wetlands. Community Engagement Community Involvement - The City recognizes the need for involvement of multiple authorities and local offices and realizes the importance of developing intergovernmental agreements. Relationships between the City and other government and local agencies were developed during the creation of the City’s Strategic Plan. These agencies have been involved with the City in the past and currently on community projects and planning and will likely be involved during implementation of an EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, and include the School Districts, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Montana Department of Transportation, and the City Parks Division. The City has also received a letter of support from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which is included as an attachment to this grant application. The DEQ will provide invaluable guidance and oversight of the proposed assessment and redevelopment process. The City anticipates that other state agencies, such as the Public Health and Safety Division under the Department of Public Health and Human Services, will become involved and play important DRAFT 31 9 roles as the assessment of contamination at each site is completed. The DEQ will play an important role in the Brownfield redevelopment process when RAPs and ABCAs are prepared prior to site remediation and once sites are entered into the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCRA), if appropriate. Community-based organizations have been instrumental in creating a vision for the revitalization of Census Tract 6 area. The City has and will continue to meet with a variety of community organizations in order to solicit input and keep the community informed about the Census Tract 6 Brownfield Revitalization Area. The following community organizations will provide support and be deeply involved in the implementation of this grant. Partner Name Point of contact (name, email & phone) Montana State University TBD Gallatin College TBD Midtown Bozeman David Fine, dfine@bozeman.net, 406.582.2973 Northeast Urban Renewal Board Brit Fontenot, bfontenot@bozeman.net, 406.579.1302 Gallatin County Interconnect Mike Harris, mike.harris@gallatin.mt.gov, 406.582.3178 Midtown Urban Renewal Board David Fine, dfine@bozeman.net, 406.582.2973 Incorporating Community Input - The City of Bozeman doesn’t just solve our brownfield issues through individual organizations, we solve them collectively as a community. The City needs to be sure that its leaders—including elected leaders, business executives, non-profit managers, and active citizens of all stripes—get behind the Brownfield initiative to see that strategic goals are accomplished. Anticipated community outreach strategies hope to build on to-date outreach efforts in the Northeast Neighborhood area, during which the City did not find a community that is anti-development and include walking tours, community forums, public assemblies, and open houses. Additionally, a stakeholders group of key business owners, educators, citizens and officials may be formed and periodically convene to advise on planning, cleanup, and reuse phases, and to collaborate with our consultants for the drafting of alternative project visions and imagery for consideration by the public. The City will actively seek to identify concerns that residents, including property owners, have and respond to these in a quick and constructive manner. This will be done through frequent surveys and polling both paper and electronically, door-to-door outreach, and a close monitoring of our social media channels. Evident from recent outreach efforts in the target area, this community is expressly concerned about how to develop and maintain its overall affordability and accessibility to a mix of residents and workers, and a unique sense of place and community as it grows and evolves. Residents echo “this area historically has been the affordable part of Bozeman – where families get started, and people grow old.” Our City has taken these sentiments to heart during preliminary project planning and area-visualization efforts and will continue to seek and incorporate the same type of honest and useful information from our residents throughout this Brownfield Initiative. Bozeman residents and property owners will be kept further involved and informed throughout the project through public meetings, project updates posted on the City website, flyers, newsletters, social media platforms, and other publications, to reach all residents and partners. Particular attention will be paid to connecting with our low-income, elderly, and impoverished populations – by implementing low-tech tactics, we will more effectively reach our target residents: notices may be posted at the public library, city hall, churches, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and elsewhere. Bozeman’s goals through these approaches DRAFT 32 10 include gathering community input and specific needs, exchanging relevant information regarding the location and current status of our brownfields, soliciting assistance with site prioritization, brainstorming necessary and effective action steps, and engaging the entire community’s network of business contacts and lenders. The City will continue to gather input as appropriate from private and public entities, welcoming comments and ideas, including from Montana State University and Gallatin College students eager to make a concrete contribution to a community they call home. Sites with redevelopment potential will be marketed to business contacts and lenders through online inventories. TASK DESCRIPTIONS, COST ESTIMATES, AND MEASURING PROGRESS Description of Tasks and Activities Task 1 – Site Inventory, Selection, and Planning: Bozeman anticipates site inventory development and brownfield planning costs of approximately $22,500 in contractual costs, split between both grants. This task includes identifying and cataloging potential sites and costs for planning, developing, and implementing a site prioritization program. To guide the program, we may establish a committee comprised of representatives from diverse community groups, public entities, and other engaged entities and residents. Outputs include five inventory planning meetings (5 @ $800 = $4,000), one GIS overlay map of brownfield sites over current aerial photographs to compare historic and current land use (1 @ $1,800); create/maintain project .ftp site (1 @$ 700); and develop acquisition strategies for est. four properties (4 @ $4,000/ea = $16,000). Task 2 – Site Assessment: This task includes a cost of $203,500 ($140,700 Haz. and $62,800 Petro.) for preparing SEDs and Phase 1 and 2 ESAs on potential redevelopment sites. All ESAs conducted with grant monies will comply with All Appropriate Inquiries and ASTM Standard E1527-13. While the total number of sites is unknown, Task 2 would likely encompass an estimated four petroleum and seven hazardous sites. This task includes fees associated with the sites requiring Phase 2 ESAs to delineate the presence, extent, and levels of contaminants. Also included are preliminary and final reports, including preparation of 11 Site Eligibility Determination (SEDs) at $900/ea for $9,900, one Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and Crosswalk at $6,800; four Field Sampling Plan (FSP) at $5,250 for $21,000, and a site-specific Health and Safety Plan (HSP) at $400. Phase 1 Site assessment costs assume 11 Phase 1 ESAs at a cost of approximately $3,500 each for an estimated total of $38,500 and four Phase 2 ESAs (3 hazardous and one petroleum) averaging approximately $31,500 each or $126,000 total. Outputs include one QAPP and one HASP, four FSPs, 11 ESAs, and four Phase 2 ESA reports. Task 3 – Programmatic Costs: This budget includes $24,000 ($21,000 split evenly between both grants), including $3,000 for one staff member to attend one three-day national and one regional brownfield conference. Estimated travel costs include airfare ($750/one person/two national conferences = $1,500) plus hotels, meals, and incidental costs ($200/person/day/two national conferences = $800) for a total of $2,300. In addition, one person will attend one regional conference for an estimated travel cost of $700. Total travel is anticipated to be $3,000 for the life of the grant. In addition, $10,500 from each grant is budgeted for contractual costs for reporting and other eligible activities to support task deliverables: quarterly reports, ACRES updates, DBE reports, financial reports, and project closeout report spread over the 3-yr reporting period. Task 4 – Remediation Planning (ABCA): This task includes $28,500 ($18,500 Haz and $10,00 Petro) for preparing comprehensive Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) to address individual site DRAFT 33 11 contamination identified in previous tasks and conducting visioning sessions. The plans will follow guidelines issued by the MDEQ - Remedy Selection and Implementation for sites within the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP). These plans will incorporate projected development plans and long-term goals for the properties. We assume three sites will require these plans at approximately $5,500 per site for an estimated cost of $16, 500 (2 Haz and 1 Petro). Moreover, we assume three visioning sessions for reuse of three different brownfield sites at approximately $4,000 per site (2 Haz and 1 Petro). Outputs include ABCA reports and visioning sessions for redevelopment and reuse of brownfield sites in Bozeman. Task 5 – Community Outreach: This task is estimated at $21,500 ($14,000 Haz and $7,500 Petro) and includes: (1) coordinating and conducting at least 4 meetings with stakeholders at $1,200 for each event for $4,800; (2) create public involvement plan (1 @ $1,000); (3) preparing and publishing public notices, flyers, factsheets brochures (3 meetings @ $900/ea for $2,700); (4) preparing meeting materials and presentations and distributing brochures and other public information materials (1 @ $1,000); QEP attendance at four public information meetings (4 @ $900 for $3,600); (5) attend four public information meetings over 3 years (4 @ $900/ea for $3,600) and (6) meet with residents, property owners and developers of BF sites (6 @ $800/ea for $4,800). The community outreach budget includes $16,500 for our QEP to facilitate community outreach meetings, produce informational materials, and assist with site-specific outreach. Outputs include a public involvement plan, project website, fact sheets, informational materials, and minutes. As noted in the narrative, community-based organizations and agency partners have pledged additional in-kind (labor) contributions to assist with research, outreach, and committee participation. Cost Estimates Budget Categories Project Tasks ($300,000) (Task 1) Inv./Planning (Task 2) Assessment (Task 3) Programmatic (Task 4) ABCA (Task 5) Outreach Total Direct Costs Travel (H) $1,500 $1,500 Travel (P) $1,500 $1,500 Contractual (H) $14,800 $140,700 $10,500 $18,500 $14,000 $198,500 Contractual (P) $7,700 $62,800 $10,500 $10,000 $7,500 $98,500 Total Direct Costs (H) $14,800 $140,700 $12,000 $18,500 $14,000 $200,000 Total Direct Costs (P) $7,700 $62,800 $12,000 $10,000 $7,500 $100,000 Indirect Costs Total Budget $22,500 $203,500 $24,000 $28,500 $21,500 $300,000 Measuring Environmental Results, Outcomes, and Outputs Identifying the outputs and outcomes from the EPA Assessment Grant funding not only justifies project funding decisions but also improves eligibility for future federal and state assistance for this critically important program. Consequently, the City will prepare and update Property Profile Forms for each site undergoing assessment. As part of this project, we will be tracking travel changes, impacts to affordability, economic development, environmental benefits, and increased participation in public involvement following grant implementation. Examples of indicators we will develop to track these outcomes, include: changes in bicycle ridership, number of new affordable housing units, job creation, reduction in vehicle miles travelled, and number of public meetings held. As other neighborhood boundaries for this project adjoin the Northeast Neighborhood target area, City staff will build on this program when tracking the outputs and outcomes of the proposed hazardous substances and petroleum assessment grants. Our process for tracking and reporting changes to these outputs and outcomes will be part of regularly submitted quarterly reports and will include, but not limited to: DRAFT 34 12 Outputs of Assessment Grant Funding a) Completion of a Site Inventory & Prioritization resulting in a ranking of brownfields properties in our brownfield reuse target area; b) Phase I ESAs at approximately 11 sites (7 hazardous substance and 4 petroleum sites); c) Phase II ESAs at approximately 4 sites (3 hazardous substance and 1 petroleum sites); d) Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) and Reuse Planning at 3 sites (dependent on outcome of Phase II ESAs and funds available); and e) Community Involvement Program communication and correspondence informing public of project progress, including newsletters, website updates, multi-media programming. Outcomes of Assessment Grant Funding: a) Sites and land assessed for environmental contamination (no. and acreage); b) Brownfield sites closed/remediated/registered with MDEQ (no. of brownfield sites); c) Sites and land positioned for economic reuse (no. and acreage); d) Temporary jobs created through the remediation/redevelopment of sites (no. of jobs); e) New businesses locating on former brownfields (no. of businesses); f) Permanent jobs created through economic reuse of former brownfields (no. of jobs); g) Tax base growth on assessed brownfields (dollar amount); h) Tax base growth throughout the focus areas (dollar amount); i) Public open space created and increased continuity of greenways (acreage); j) Reclaimed Superfund property put back into reuse (no. of Superfund acres reclaimed); k) New public infrastructure proposed or created on BF sites (type and LF proposed or built); l) Private investment leveraged on brownfield sites (private investment amount); m) Public investment leveraged for brownfields sites (amount of grants; financing secured); and n) Reduced poverty within priority areas (percent drop in poverty rate). PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE Programmatic Capability Organizational Structure - The City of Bozeman has the requisite capacity to administer the EPA grant funds based on the previous experience of key staff in federal and state grant management. Multiple individuals and organizations will be involved to ensure the project’s success. Shortly after the grant is awarded, the City will follow the procedures detailed in 40 CFR 31.36 for the procurement process to select the environmental consultant project team and will release a competitive, public Request for Qualifications in order to select the team deemed most qualified by a review committee. The City will also immediately begin the site selection process, making use of the broad community knowledge held by local community members and partnered community groups. Site access issues will be addressed when/if they arise and will be taken into account during the prioritization process. To track the success of this grant, Bozeman’s project manager will record outputs in a comprehensive database as the grant is implemented. Contractors will be expected to report monthly on the work performed, including outputs or outcomes. The project manager will summarize outputs/outcomes in quarterly reports submitted to the EPA. This system will ensure that all milestones and deliverables are met/completed in a timely manner (less than 3 years) and are recorded as they are finished. The project manager will track data for both the Petroleum Assessment Grant and the Hazardous Substances Assessment grant and will enter pertinent information into the EPA’s Assessment, Cleanup, and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database. Acquiring Additional Resources - The City of Bozeman understands that additional technical expertise and DRAFT 35 13 resources will be needed to effectively complete the brownfield assessment project. The City will follow federal guidelines to retain a qualified environmental consultant to assist in managing the activities funded by the Assessment Grant through a qualifications-based bid process. This will include evaluating (1) the number of EPA grants the environmental consultants have helped manage; (2) the consultants’ understanding of the Assessment Grant process and Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), and (3) the consultants’ understanding and ability to help with community outreach and education. The consultants will be evaluated on their experience with Montana environmental laws, regulations, and EPA requirements and policies; environmental due diligence; transactions of environmentally impaired property; environmental site assessments (ESAs); brownfield redevelopment and financing; and community outreach activities. FINAL WORDS The characteristics that make up the identity of the Northeast Neighborhood are widely held community values. The neighborhood’s character is authentic and unique in the context of Bozeman: it is a real place. Although the target area represented Bozeman’s role as the transportation and economic hub of Southwestern Montana from 1882 to 1945, due to impacts stemming from our City’s brownfields, significant parcels of land are now removed from productive use, discourage nearby development, and present health risks to nearby Bozeman residents, many of whom are unable to secure affordable housing elsewhere in the City. With massive growth pressures throughout Bozeman, we cannot afford to leave our brownfields vacant and blighted. The first proactive step to bringing these sites into use to support our vision of a safe, accommodating, and cohesive City is to assess the environmental issues associated with our brownfields. We are asking you to join hands to pursue our collective aspirations to take this step via the City of Bozeman's Northeast Neighborhood Brownfield Initiative. DRAFT 36